PETALING JAYA: Selangor fans can breathe a sigh of relief as winger Faisal Halim is expected to make a return to the pitch in three weeks time.
It has been more than two months since the 26-year-old stepped onto the grass after suffering fourth-degree burns from an acid attack on May 5.
Although he won’t be immediately fielded for the team’s upcoming matches, Faisal will be back doing light exercises with his teammates soon.
Selangor chief executive officer Dr Johan Kamal said Faisal’s recovery has been going well, but the team aren’t rushing him to start kicking the ball just yet.
“Faisal’s injuries have been healing well since our last press conference on June 13,” said Johan after visiting the Kompleks 3K in Subang Jaya with the Regent of Selangor Tengku Amir Shah Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah yesterday.
“He can be back on the pitch doing some light exercises in two or three weeks, but he will not be playing football fully yet.”
After the horrific incident last month where Faisal was splashed with acid at a mall, he made his first public appearance earlier this month, bearing witness to the extent of his injuries to his arm, torso, and head.
The positive news on the Harimau Malaya player’s recovery comes after his father, Abdul Halim Saad said his son had recovered almost 95 percent, and had started doing light exercises and shown positive progress day by day.
Johan added that the team are taking a cautious approach when it came to Faisal’s fitness.
“We don’t want him to rush due to fear of suffering other injuries. It will take time and he (Faisal) knows that. But he is strong, of course, he will try to push himself,” he said.
Meanwhile, Johan also confirmed that Selangor had sent in their appeal to the Malaysian Football League (MFL) board of directors in regards to their decision to penalise the club for withdrawing from the Charity Shield match against Johor Darul Ta’zim (JDT) on May 10.
“We submitted the appeal on Saturday after the MFL eased the punishment, we reviewed and amended the appropriate matters before filing the appeal,” said Johan.
